Portugal is the auldest state in the Iberian Peninsula an ane o the auldest in Europe, its territory haein been conteenously settled, invadit an focht ower syne prehistoric times. The Pre-Celts, Celts, Carthaginians an Romans war follaed bi the invasions o the Visigoths an SuebiGermanic fowks. Portugal as a kintra wis established in the Christian Reconquista against the Moors that haed invadit the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD. Despite attempts at unthirldom syne its foondation as a coonty in 868,[9] anerly efter the Battle o São Mamede in 1128, whaur Portuguese forces led bi Afonso Henriques defeatit forces led bi his mither, Theresa o Portugal, the Coonty o Portugal affirmed its sovereignty an Afonso Henriques styled himsel Prince o Portugal. He wad later be proclaimed Keeng o Portugal at the Battle o Ourique in 1139 an wis recognised as sic bi neighbouring kinricks in 1143.[10]

In the 15t an 16t centuries, Portugal established the first global empire, acomin ane o the warld's major economic, poleetical an militar pouers.[11][12][13] In this period, the day referred tae as the Age o Diskivery, Portuguese explorers pioneered maritime exploration, notably unner ryal patronage o Prince Henry the Navigator an Keeng John II, wi sic notable voyages as Bartolomeu Dias' sailin ayont the Cape o Guid Howp (1488), Vasco da Gama's diskivery o the sea route tae Indie (1497–98) an the European diskivery o Brazil (1500). In this time, Portugal monopolised the spice tred, an the empire expandit wi militar campaigns in Asie. Houiver, events sic as the destruction o Lisbon in a 1755 yirdquauk, the kintra's occupation in the Napoleonic Wars, an the unthirldom o Brazil (1822), left Portugal crippelt frae war an diminished in its warld pouer.[14]

Efter the 1910 revolution deponed the monarchy, the democratic but unstable Portuguese First Republic wis established, later bein supersedit bi the Estado Novo richt-weeng authoritarian regime. Democracy wis restored efter the Carnation Revolution in 1974, endin the Portuguese Colonial War. Shortly efter, unthirldom wis grantit tae awmaist aw its owerseas territories. The haundower o Macau tae Cheenae in 1999 merkit the end o whit can be conseedert the langest-leeved colonial empire.[15] Portugal haes left a profoond cultural an airchitectural influence athort the globe, a legacy o 300 million Portuguese speakers, an mony Portuguese-based creoles. A member o the Unitit Naitions an the European Union, Portugal wis an aw ane o the foondin members of NATO, the eurozone, the OECD, an the Community o Portuguese Leid Kintras.

Portugal is a developit kintra wi a heicch-income advanced economy, a developed mercat, an heich leevin staundarts.[16][17][18] It is ranked heichly in terms o LGBTI richts (6t in Europe),[19] press freedom (14t), social progress (20t) an prosperity (25t). Wi its poleetical stability an law crime rates, it is rankit as the maist peacefu kintra in the EU an the 3rd in the warld.[20] Addeetionally, it is a sustainable state,[21] mainteenin a unitarsemi-presidentialrepublic, a strang rule o law, an the lawest levels o corruption in soothren Europe. Portugal ranks abuin the OECD average in mathematics, science, an readin, haein been the kintra wi the maist expressive positive evolution ootthrou PISA's studies.[22] Awtho a Catholic-majority kintra for maist o its history, modren Portugal is a secular state wi ane o the warld's heichest rates o moral freedom. It wis the first kintra tae abolish life impreesonment[23] an ane o the earliest tae abolish caipital punishment. Practices sic as abortion, same-sex marriage an adoption, medically assisted insemination for single weemen an lesbian couples,[24] an altruistic surrogacy[25] hae been legalised. In 2001, Portugal becam the first kintra in the warld tae decriminalise the possession an consumption o aw illeecit drogs, focusin on treatment an hairm reduction, wi signeeficant public heal gains.[26]